St. Joseph’s Training College - ERIC · emotional, social, or physical health limitation that...
Transcript of St. Joseph’s Training College - ERIC · emotional, social, or physical health limitation that...
Health Education Strategies for Coping with Academic Stress
0
Health Education Strategies for Coping with Academic Stress
by
Tohid Moradi Sheykhjan
Research Scholar in Education
University of Kerala
Paper Presented at
UGC Sponsored National Level Seminar
on
Proactive Stress Coping Strategies for Developing Mental Well Being
Organized by
St. Joseph’s Training College Affiliated to Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam
& Re-Accredited (3
rd cycle) with A Grade by (NAAC) & Recognized by (NCTE)
In Collaboration with AKTCTA
Mannanam, Kottayam, Kerala - 686 561, India
9th&10th January, 2015
Health Education Strategies for Coping with Academic Stress
1
Health Education Strategies for Coping with Academic Stress
Tohid Moradi Sheykhjan
Abstract
The purpose of the study was to find out the significance of health education
strategies for coping with academic stress. Comprehensive health education strategies for coping with academic stress can help students obtain the greatest benefits from education and become healthy and productive adults’ .One child out of four has an emotional, social, or physical health limitation that interferes with learning. Such problems include poor nutrition, lack of physical activity, substance abuse, family and social violence, mental health problems, and factors during pregnancy affect child development. Teachers and parents are in a unique position to influence young people's physical, mental, and social well-being. The following sections of this report summarize strategies that can be used by academic centers, parents, and students to alleviate academic stress. All events in life brings about a reaction, but there are varied ways through which people reacts or responds to them, coping with stress is the attempt to manage or deal with stress. In their view, coping does not necessarily result in success. They comment that successful coping includes becoming aware of incidents and
situations that one perceives as being stressful, and recognizing stressors means being aware of how your body responds to stress. Even though the counseling centre advices individual students who avail themselves for counseling on time management, it is envisaged that workshops, seminars and conferences on “techniques in managing stress” and “time management” for all students will go a long way to equip students with ways of coping with stress.
Keywords: Health education, Strategies, Coping, Academic Stress.
Introduction
Studies have recently called attention to high levels of student stress in academic
centers. Surveys have found that most students identify academic pressure as the main
reason for their stress. Consequently, researchers have chronicled increases in cheating,
sleepless nights, depression, drug use, and self mutilation. While it has long been
Research Scholar in Education, University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, India
Health Education Strategies for Coping with Academic Stress
2
assumed that struggling students are most prone to academic stress, recent studies
indicate that high achievers are especially vulnerable to academic stress. Chronic
academic stress often leads to physical, emotional, and behavioral symptoms, such as
frequent illnesses, depression, irritability, decreased academic performance, drug or
alcohol experimentation, and cheating. Causes of academic stress include high-stakes
tests, pressure from parents, overly demanding academic content, overbooked
schedules, and pressure to gain admittance to prestigious colleges and universities, and
conflicts with teachers. Researchers have identified strategies of academic centers,
parents, and students could be used to manage academic stress. Academic centers
strategies include reducing the preoccupation with “grades for the sake of grades,”
incorporating stress education into the curriculum, and revising student work and
testing policies.
Parents can use several strategies to help their children cope with academic
stress, such as emphasizing learning over grades, talking openly with their children
about the pressures at school, college and university, limiting extracurricular activities,
and building their children’s feelings of self-worth. Student strategies for reducing
stress include setting realistic goals, learning stress management skills, finding time to
relax, and talking to a trusted adult about their problems.
Preparation for Health Education
Research indicates that in order to influence students' health knowledge, skills,
and behavior, well-prepared teachers must implement developmentally and culturally
appropriate instructional strategies that provide basic information, engage participants
to practice and apply relevant skills, and are of sufficient duration (Parker, 2001;
USDHHS, 2000). It follows that the effectiveness of health educators depends on the
quality of their professional preparation (Kolbe, 2002; Peterson, Cooper, & Laird, 2001;
Summerfield, 2001).
College and university programs must prepare health-literate teachers who have
the capacity to access and analyze functional health information and services as well as
Health Education Strategies for Coping with Academic Stress
3
the competence to apply such information and services in ways that enable students to
learn health concepts and skills (Peterson et al., 2001). One means of assessing the
quality of teacher training is professional program approval and accreditation; rigorous
preparation programs at accredited colleges and universities have been demonstrated
to enhance teacher quality.
Entry-level teachers should be able to integrate the health education curriculum
for students with relevant health content into skill-based lessons. Lessons should enable
students to solve problems, make decisions, set goals, effectively communicate, manage
risks, access valid information, analyze influences, and advocate for healthy practices.
In addition, teacher-training programs should provide a foundation in general
pedagogical research or the most current best practice including applying principles of
child development in lesson planning; establishing an environment conducive to
learning; engaging students in the learning process; applying appropriate assessment
techniques for diverse student groups; and effectively communicating to students,
parents, other school staff, and community stakeholders (AAHE, 2002; Danielson, 1996).
In summary, evaluation studies of health education programs conclude that
effective curricula implemented by well-prepared teachers can reduce risky behaviors
among youth (Lohrman & Wooley, 1998).
Teachers trained according to health education curriculum can have a positive
impact on students’ health knowledge, skills, and behaviors by effectively delivering
comprehensive health education.
Consequences of Chronic Stress
A certain amount of stress is good and has been found to foster motivation and
healthy competition in the classroom, on tests, and in extracurricular activities. But
chronic stress, as a result of the feeling that one cannot possibly meet all of the demands
placed upon him, has been consistently associated with negative outcomes. Continued
exposure to school-related stressors often leads to physical, emotional, and behavioral
symptoms, such as fatigue, irritability, depression, and decreases in academic
Health Education Strategies for Coping with Academic Stress
4
performance (Sedere, 2010; Conner et al., 2009; Copeland, 2008; Wilde, 2008; Muir,
2006).
The most frequent consequences of intense or ongoing stress include:
1. Physical illness;
2. Insufficient sleep;
3. Anxiety and depression;
4. Irritability or unusual emotionality or volatility;
5. Decrease in academic performance;
6. Social withdrawal;
7. Drug or alcohol experimentation;
8. Cheating.
Causes of Academic Stress
Different students respond to academic pressures in different ways. Academic
centers are not the only source of stress for students. Parents, other students, and
government policies, and the school, college and universities admissions process all
play a role in increasing students’ stress levels (Conner et al., 2009).
Following is a summary of the most common causes of academic stress.
1. Developmentally inappropriate classrooms;
2. High-stakes tests;
3. Pressure from parents;
4. Demanding academic content;
5. Peer relationships;
6. Fear of failure;
7. Lack of preparation;
8. Excessive homework;
9. Overbooked schedules;
10. Pressure to maintain high grades;
11. Pressure to gain acceptance to prestigious colleges;
Health Education Strategies for Coping with Academic Stress
5
12. Conflicts with teachers;
13. Transitioning to secondary school;
14. Poor diet and lack of sleep.
Health Education Strategies for Coping with Stress
Comprehensive health education strategies for coping with academic stress can
help students obtain the greatest benefits from education and become healthy and
productive adults’ .One child out of four has an emotional, social, or physical health
limitation that interferes with learning (Dryfoos, 1994; Tyson, 1999). Such problems
include poor nutrition, lack of physical activity, substance abuse, family and social
violence, mental health problems, and factors during pregnancy affect child
development (Swingle, 1997). Teachers and parents are in a unique position to influence
young people's physical, mental, and social well-being.
The following sections of this report summarize strategies that can be used by
academic centers, parents, and students to alleviate academic stress.
Researchers have suggested that academic centers could be the ideal place in
which to conduct stress intervention and prevention programs because so many
stressors are directly related to the academic environment and these stressors affect
students’ performance in academic center. In response to high levels of students anxiety
disorders, depression, substance abuse, and disengagement, educators and health
specialists creating research-based intervention at the academic centers . The initiative,
challenge success, works with academic center to design and implement site-based
policies and practices that could be in reduce student stress and promote greater
student engagement, academic integrity, and physical and mental health.
While the stress reduction process varies based on academic centers unique
circumstances, some strategies that have been used successfully at academic centers
include:
1. Reduce the preoccupation with “grades for the sake of grades” and shift the
focus to learning and understanding;
Health Education Strategies for Coping with Academic Stress
6
2. Identify students demonstrating high levels of stress;
3. Incorporate stress education into the curriculum;
4. Change the academic centers daily schedule;
5. Revise homework policies;
6. Revise testing policies;
7. Reduce test anxiety;
8. Ensure that students receive adequate support;
9. Communicate with all stakeholders about the causes and consequences of
academic stress;
10. Promote healthy behaviors;
11. Help students develop effective coping strategies.
Parents strategies for coping with stress:
Parents should pay attention when their child complains of stress, anxiety,
depression, or hopelessness. Different children show stress in different ways, so it isn’t
always easy to recognize when a child is affected. There are many children who don’t or
can’t verbalize their stress. In these cases, parents should be on the lookout for other
signs and symptoms, such as frequent physical ailments, a drop in academic
performance, or unusual irritability (Conner et al., 2009; Wilde, 2008; Pomfret, 2004).
Following are strategies which parents can use to help their children to manage
academic stress.
1. Emphasize learning over grades;
2. Encourage healthy habits;
3. Set a good example;
4. Increase family time;
5. Talk to children;
6. Provide structure, stability and predictability;
7. Limit extracurricular activities;
8. Monitor television viewing;
Health Education Strategies for Coping with Academic Stress
7
9. Build feelings of self-worth;
10. Suggest ways of coping with difficult situations.
Student strategies for coping with stress:
Researchers have identified strategies that can help students deal with their
academic stress.
1. Eat well;
2. Exercise;
3. Sleep well at night;
4. Don’t use drugs, alcohol, or tobacco;
5. Set realistic goals for yourself;
6. Learn stress management skills, such as relaxation techniques and problem
solving;
7. Don’t over-schedule activities;
8. Find time to relax;
9. Keep a schedule;
10. Get organized;
11. Be optimistic;
12. Build resiliency;
Researchers have identified qualities that make some people naturally resilient
even when faced with high levels of stress. To build resilience, TeensHealth (2007)
recommended that adolescents work on developing the following attitudes and
behaviors:
a) think of change as a challenging and normal part of life;
b) see setbacks and problems as temporary and solvable;
c) believe that working toward goals will lead to success;
d) take action to solve problems;
e) Build strong relationships with family and friends and ask for help if needed.
13. Talk to an adult about unmanageable stress.
Health Education Strategies for Coping with Academic Stress
8
Conclusions and Implications
All events in life brings about a reaction, but there are varied ways through
which people reacts or responds to them, coping with stress is the attempt to manage or
deal with stress. In their view, coping does not necessarily result in success. They
comment that successful coping includes becoming aware of incidents and situations
that one perceives as being stressful, and recognizing stressors means being aware of
how your body responds to stress.
Students should manage stress by creating a positive meaning for it in terms of
their personal growth and feeling. Students have to understand that positive stress and
coping with negative stress can change them in a good way.
It is therefore recommended that the counseling centre of the academic centers
should put in place improved services such as social support groups made up of
lecturers, administrators and students. With this, supportive skills like talking and
sharing could be developed. This will enable students to feel comfortable and free
enough to express their feelings. Even though the counseling centre advices individual
students who avail themselves for counseling on time management, it is envisaged that
workshops, seminars and conferences on “techniques in managing stress” and “time
management” for all students will go a long way to equip students with ways of coping
with stress.
References
American Association for Health Education (2000). 2001 Guidelines for
AAHE/NCATE review of initial-level programs for health education. Reston,
VA: American Alliance of Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance.
Conner, J., Pope, D., & Galloway, M. (2009). Success with Less Stress. Educational
Leadership, 67(4), 54-58.
Health Education Strategies for Coping with Academic Stress
9
Danielson, C. (1996). Enhancing Professional Practice: A Framework for
Teaching. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development.
Dryfoos, J. (1994). Full-Service Schools: A revolution in Health and Social
Services for Children, Youth, and Families. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Kolbe, L.J. (2002). Education Reform and the Goals of Modern School Health
Programs (Electronic version). The State Education Standard, 3, 4-11. Laczko-
Kerr, I., & Berliner,
D.C. (2002). The Effectiveness of "Teach for America" and other under-Certified
Teachers on Student Academic Achievement: A case of harmful public policy.
Education Policy Analysis Archives, 10(37). Retrieved June 24, 2003, from
http://epaa.asu.edu/epaa/v10n37
Lohrman, D., & Wooley, S. (1998). Comprehensive School Health Education in E.
Marx,
S. Wooley, & D. Northrup (Eds.) (pp. 43-66). Health is Academic: A guide to
Coordinated School Health Programs. New York: Teachers College Press.
Muir, M. (2006). Stress. The Principals’ Partnership. Retrieved from
http://www.principalspartnership.com/stress806.pdf.
Parker, J.T. (2001). School-based Sex Education: A new Millennium Update.
(Digest No.
Peterson, F., Cooper, R., & Laird, J. (2001). Enhancing Teacher Health Literacy in
School Health Promotion: A vision for the New Millennium. Journal of School
Health, 71 138-144. EJ 625 708.
Pomfret, E. (2004). Keep Your Children Free of Stress. The Journal, August 31,
2004, pg. 16.
Sedere, U.M. (2010). Towards A Stress Free Education: International Perspective.
Paper presented at the Annual Academic Sessions of the Open University of Sri
Lanka, February 2010. ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED508198.
Health Education Strategies for Coping with Academic Stress
10
Summerfield, L.M. (2001). Preparing Classroom Teachers for Developing Health
Instruction. (Digest No. EDO-SP-2001-8). Washington, DC: ERIC Clearinghouse
on Teaching and Teacher Education. ED 460 128.
Swingle, C. (1997). The Relationship between the Health of School-Age Children
and Learning: Implications for Schools. Unpublished document prepared for the
Michigan Department of Community Health.
Tyson, H. (1999). A Load off the Teachers' back: Coordinated School Health
programs. Phi Delta Kappan: Special Report, K1-K8.
Teens Health. (2007). Stress. Retrieved from http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/
emotions/stress.html.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2000). Healthy People 2010.
McLean, VA: International Medical Publishing. ED 443 795.
Wilde, M. (2008). Are We Stressing Out Our Kids? Retrieved from
http://www.greatschools.org/parenting/teaching-values/stressed-out-
kids.gs?content=645.
Health Education Strategies for Coping with Academic Stress
11